Epiplatys dageti Care Guide
Epiplatys dageti, the red-chinned panchax, is a peaceful West African surface killifish for soft, warm community tanks.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Epiplatys dageti, the red-chinned panchax, is a surface killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae. FishBase records it at up to 6.0 cm total length, notes it is not a seasonal killifish, and describes it as easy to maintain in the aquarium.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nothobranchiidae
- Genus: Epiplatys
- Scientific name: Epiplatys dageti
Habitat
FishBase places the species from around Monrovia in Liberia through southern Cote d'Ivoire to southwestern Ghana, in coastal swampy areas and the quiet parts of brooks and slow-flowing rivers in coastal lowlands.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (about 11 gal)
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.0
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Lifespan: 2-4 years
Diet
A carnivorous micropredator that takes small live and frozen foods at and near the surface; it also accepts floating prepared foods.
Compatibility
A peaceful surface-oriented species suitable for soft-water community tanks with small, calm companions such as tetras and pencilfish. A tight cover is needed to prevent jumping.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2019), per FishBase.
Daget's Killifish Breeding Guide
Overview
Epiplatys dageti, the red-chinned panchax, is a peaceful surface-oriented killifish of the family Nothobranchiidae from West Africa, where AquaInfo records it from southwest Liberia, southern Ivory Coast and western Ghana in rainforests and mangrove swamps. It is a non-annual species reaching about 5.5-7 cm.
Sexing
AquaInfo notes males are more brightly coloured and grow larger than females, and in the monroviae form show an orange-red marking under the chin that females lack.
Conditioning
The fish are surface feeders that take live insects, fruit flies and Daphnia and ignore sinking foods. AquaInfo advises feeding the parents plenty of high-quality food such as black mosquito larvae and brine shrimp before spawning.
Breeding Setup
AquaInfo recommends placing spawning mops or fine-leaved plants such as Java moss in a breeding aquarium of about 40 by 30 cm. A temperature of 21-23 C produces balanced sex ratios, while higher temperatures favour males. AquaInfo gives pH 5.0-7.0 (6.0-6.5 preferred), a normal temperature range of 20-27 C and GH 5-8.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Eggs are deposited among the mops or plants. As a plant-spawning, non-annual killifish, the species spawns over an extended period rather than in a single burst, so the spawning medium is checked and the eggs harvested regularly.
Egg & Fry Care
AquaInfo reports the eggs hatch at about 21 C after roughly 11 to 14 days. Fry are first offered infusoria, then freshly hatched brine shrimp and other small foods once they are large enough.
Common Challenges
Incubation temperature skews the sex ratio, so 21-23 C is used for balanced broods. As a surface fish it is a ready jumper, so a tight cover is essential.